Board Election Results The WGA Board of Directors is pleased to announce the election of the following members to the Board: Jason Schembri Treasurer Shaylean GladuMember at Large Louise CourtemancheMember at Large Our returning board members are: Anne Bailey (President)Anna Wagner (Vice President)Kendall Bistretzan (Secretary)Natalie Simpson (Member at Large)T.F. Pruden (Member at Large)Aubrianna Snow (Member…
The Writers’ Guild of Alberta is excited to announce the winners of the 2026 Alberta Literary Awards. The Alberta Literary Awards were created by the Writers’ Guild of Alberta in 1982 to recognize excellence in writing by Alberta authors. Entries are judged by an independent jury recruited by the WGA. The winners were announced at…
Annual General Meeting (Online) June 22, 2026 7:00 PM – 10:00 PM MTOnline (Zoom)Registration RequiredThis year’s AGM will be held in online only. Register here The WGA would like to invite all active members to attend the 2026 Annual General Meeting, which will be held online during the evening of June 22, 2026. Members are entitled to…
Deadline: May 11, 2026 The WGA would love to feature your response in WestWord, our members-only magazine that publishes quarterly with articles, features, and upcoming events across Alberta. Members who are logged in can view our current and past issues. Question: Have you returned to writing after a hiatus? Please send your answers (100 words…
Remembering Dr. Nhung Tran-Davies We were saddened to hear about the passing of author, philanthropist, and longtime Writers’ Guild of Alberta member Dr. Nhung Tran-Davies. Nhung arrived in Canada as a child refugee of the Vietnam War in 1979 with her mother and five siblings. She grew up with a passion for science, and went…
Back a Bursary for WordsWorth Youth Writing Summer Camp Fundraising Goal: $4000.00 The WGA is calling on our community to back a bursary today! WordsWorth 2026: Mythsmiths takes place over two weeks this July at Red Deer Polytechnic.Week 1: July 19-24, 2026 (Ages 11-14)Week 2: July 26-31, 2026 (Ages 15-19) Donate through canadaHelps hereDonate through…
With membership growing each year, the WGA is looking for some final-stretch sponsors to help us host our annual Conference and Gala. We are seeking: Depending on your contribution level, sponsors can receive: And our gratitude for your support! Variations of our sponsor arrangements can be made. Contact [email protected] to connect with our sponsorship team.
April 21, 2026 The WGA stands with the Coalition of Alberta’s Public Libraries (CAP Libraries) in condemning Bill 28, an act that seeks to amend Alberta’s Libraries Act in order to restrict Albertans’ access to library materials and services the government deems “inappropriate.” As did the ministerial order regarding school libraries, this unnecessary piece of…
2026 WGA Board nominations are now open! Deadline for Advanced Nominations: May 20, 2026 May 25, 2026Elections at AGM: June 22, 2026 (online) Are you or someone you know interested in playing a strategic role in shaping the future of the WGA or looking for a volunteer opportunity to contribute to Alberta’s writing community? Please…
WGA Pub Night PowerPoint Presentation Pitches Due: May 1, 2026 5 minute presentations on: May 20, 20267:00 PM – 9:00 PM MT Rooster Kitchen & BarEdmonton This is a Free event Do you have a hot take or a presentation with visual aids that you’re dying to share with an audience? Do you have a…
The Writers’ Guild of Alberta is excited to announce the finalists for the 2026 Alberta Literary Awards. The Alberta Literary Awards were created by the Writers’ Guild of Alberta in 1982 to recognize excellence in writing by Alberta authors. Entries are judged by an independent jury recruited by the WGA. The winners will be announced…
March 13, 2026: Thanks to research by the Centre for Free Expression and the CBC, Albertans now know how far the Alberta government’s recent order on the selection of school library materials goes in curtailing their freedom to read. More than 200 titles have been removed from Alberta school libraries as a direct result of…
What is the Kemosa Scholarship? First established in 2017 by Dr. Nhung Tran-Davies in partnership with Tlicho Dene author Richard Van Camp, the Kemosa Scholarship offers an opportunity for First Nations, Métis and Inuit Mothers to obtain resources to help them complete the work on their writing – whether that be a novel, a collection of…
WGA Casino Night FundraiserJuly 30 – 31, 2026 Varying Shifts (Morning, Evening, and Overnight)Starlight Casino, West Edmonton Mall 8882 170 St NW #2710Edmonton The Writers’ Guild of Alberta’s casino fundraiser will be at the Starlight Casino at West Edmonton Mall (second floor) in Edmonton from July 30 – 31, 2026. By partnering with a local…
February 25, 2026 The Writers’ Guild of Alberta and the Writers’ Union of Canada are grateful for the outpouring of support we have received in the follow-up to receiving notice that our Freedom to Read event venue (the Kensington Legion in Calgary) had cancelled our booking. A joint statement was issued from the Board of…
February 19, 2026For Immediate Release Reading Event at Calgary Legion Cancelled During Freedom to Read Week The Writers’ Union of Canada (TWUC) and the Writers’ Guild of Alberta (WGA) are shocked and disappointed to have had a joint Freedom to Read Week event discussing censorship and book-banning cancelled by the contracted venue. A public gathering…
You may be receiving fraudulent emails using our name claiming to share ‘protected documents’ from an email address that is not the writersguild.ca. Please note that any emails that are NOT coming from our domain in this way should NOT be opened and should be marked as SPAM. Thank you to those of you who…
The Writers’ Guild of Alberta is pleased to share that we have now matched the mentors and mentees for our 2026 Mentorship Program! As always, there was a wide and deep pool of applicants for both mentors and mentees, and we encourage those who were unsuccessful this year to apply again next round. Thank you…
WestWord invites members to answer the following: Most writers work (night shifts, multiple jobs) to supplement their writerly income. What else do you do outside of your writing hours (raising a family, elder care, hobbies) and does it help or hinder your writing? Please send your answers (100 words or less) to WestWord editor Raymond Gariepy at: [email protected]. In the heading, include: Question to Members.…
The WGA needs your support! And best of all, it only takes a few seconds of your time. The WGA has been selected to compete for community votes to win funds for the Preservation of Culture: Multi-Lingual Writing Program through the Field Law: Community Funding Program. Voting Closes on November 22, 2025. Cast your vote…
Due to unforeseen circumstances, this event has been cancelled. We will be notifying registered participants and plan to send all anthologies by mail. Please keep an eye out in the new year for more events.
PLEASE NOTE: As of this time, the Strawberry Creek Writing Retreat is sold out! Please stay tuned for our next retreat, most likely taking place in the late summer or fall of 2026. The Writers’ Guild of Alberta is excited to confirm that we will be hosting a self-directed writing retreat next spring in Strawberry…
Stephan V. Benediktson June 22, 1933 – October 14, 2025 We are sorry to learn that long-time supporter of the Writers’ Guild of Alberta, Stephan V. Benediktson, passed away October 14, 2025. Stephan was a dedicated supporter of the arts and Icelandic culture who sponsored the WGA’s Stephan G. Stephansson Award for Poetry, named for…
The Olive Reading Series returns November 12th for another night of features, open mic readings, and time to chat and connect with local writers. Wednesday, November 12th, 20257:00 PM – 9:00 PM MTRooster Bar & Kitchen 10732 82nd Ave (Whyte Ave)FREE The November reading will feature author of ROUTINE MAINTENANCE (2025), Marco Melfi, and multidisciplinary…
The Alexandra Writers’ Centre Society and the Writers’ Guild of Alberta are back for another Connections Pub Night! Tuesday, November 11, 20256:00 PM – 9:00 PM MTLast Best Brewing & Distilling607 – 11th Ave SWDownstairs in the beer roomCalgaryFREE Come ready to mingle and network with the Calgary literary community! This event is open to…
Wednesday, November 26, 202512:00 PM – 1:00 PM MTOnline (Registration Required) Free! Publication is often the goal for most writers: We want our hard work published and available to the greater literary community, to the world at large (and receiving compensation for doing the thing we love doesn’t hurt). But, like writing, publication — and…
